Starbucks’ Mission: Aligned with Its Strategies

Is Starbucks' Mission (vision, goals, objectives) aligned with its strategies? Analyze Starbucks based on the strategic process outline and write a five page paper answering the preceding question. As I drove to work this morning, I decided to make a slight detour from my normal route to get a cup of morning goodness in the form of fresh coffee. I could have stopped off at the corner convenience store, smelt gasoline being pumped and the ring-a-ding-ding of the slot machines that frequent just about every Las Vegas establishment, but I was looking for a little more something. I decided to drive an extra 30 seconds out of my way to go to an establishment that I knew would provide outstanding quality coffee, serve it with a smile, and provide an environment that was classy and warm. I decided to go to Starbucks. As I walked in, I smelt the fresh coffee grounds and heard a catchy song on the stereo. When the gal behind the counter greeted me with a big smile and asked, â€Å"What can I get started for you? † I knew I had made the right decision. The Starbucks corporation has done an outstanding job since 1970 with the execution of it's strategicprocess resulting in it currently owning 40% of the specialty coffee market and boosting annual sales exceeding $7 billion according to an article published by Burt Helm. Figure 1. Strategic Management Tasks According to the courseware there are five steps to be accomplished in the Strategic Management Process. See Figure 1 above. The one essential area that this graph excludes however is analysis. I will include this step in the following discussion. Mission Statement From the Starbucks website we find that the Starbucks' mission statement is, â€Å"Establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow†. The website goes on to say â€Å"the mission is more than words on a piece of paper but rather a philosophy that guides how we do business every day. † While the later half appears to be fluff and corporate jargon, it is actually relevant in the way the Starbucks conducts business daily. With this mission statement they have determined who they are and what they intend to do. Breaking it down further we find that the key market is the coffee market, the contribution is to be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee, and that the distinction is doing all of this while maintaining their uncompromising principles. I will state the uncompromising principles as part of the objective area to follow. Analysis Starbucks knows that it is not in this market alone. In fact in some areas of the world it is already slightly behind. According to caterersearch. com, â€Å"in the UK Starbucks has been usurped by Costa Coffee as the UK's largest coffee shop operator, with 24. % (540 stores) compared to 24. 7% (555) for the Whitbread-owned chain†. The article went on to say that the market continues to have huge growth, exceeding 15% per year. The courseware introduced one method of analyzing the market known as SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). It was interesting to find the following chart, Figure 2, located in the Datamonitor Starbucks Co rporation Company Profile. Figure 2. Starbucks SWOT Analysis This SWOT analysis invariably helped Starbucks with the next phase of the strategy process, that of objective setting. Setting Objectives As mentioned earlier, Starbucks mission statement eludes to uncompromising principles. According to the Starbucks. com, these principles include: 1. Provide a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity. 2. Embrace diversity as an essential component in the way we do business. 3. Apply the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of our coffee. 4. Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. 5. Contribute positively to our communities and our environment. 6. Recognize that profitability is essential to our future success. While the Corporation calls these principles, and they are principles indeed, they also use these principles as a set of objectives from which they conduct their daily operations. A final objective that has recently come about from the Corporate Chairman Howard Schultz, is to ensure that the company does not forget its roots as it attempts to continue to grow. Schultz is aggressive. According to a Business Week article by Burt Helm, he would like to triple annual sales up to $23 billion by the year 2012, and almost quadruple the number ofStarbucks stores globally. This is smart. He sees the strengths and opportunities of the SWOT analysis above and wants to expound on his global presence and take advantage of the continual 14-15% annual growth of the market. Schultz also knows that there are slowing US retail sales however. To counteract this he intends to preserve the old world feel of a coffee bistro. In order to keep up with the demand, Starbucks has had to modernize some of its procedures. Helm states that the company has had to sacrifice some of the old world feel and incorporate the use of automatic espresso machines, vacuum sealed bags of coffee, CDs, and so on. Schultz wants to minimize the watering down of what he calls â€Å"The Starbucks Experience†. This is difficult in today's society in which most businesses attempt to get consumers in and out as quickly as possible and customers expect and demand the same, a phenomena known as â€Å"The McDonaldization of Society†. Implementation and Execution of the Strategy Starbucks has implemented the principles and goals into daily operations. Looking through page after page of the Starbucks website, it is evident that the corporation has internalized these principles and uses them as guidelines. Providing a great work environment hashappened in a number of ways. Starbucks provides employees with training and education. One program listed on the Starbucks website is called, â€Å"Learning to Lead†. In this program employees learn effective management practices. Another employee programis â€Å"Business and Communication† in which workers are offered a variety of classes to aid in their management skills. These programs allow for advancement and a sense of accomplishment by employees. They added together with company benefits are attempts by Starbucks to foster a friendly work environment. Diversity is accomplished through the hiring process. Starbucks knows that it is important that every voice is heard, and in which employees strive to learn about one another. In doing this, the company ensures that no group of potential customers are alienated. Starbucks applies the highest standards in freshly delivered coffee in a couple of ways. According to the company home page, Starbucks works with suppliers and farmers daily in an attempt to sustain high quality coffee production. In addition to this, a program known as â€Å"Coffee Education† was put into effect in which employees learn the finer nuances of coffee, from aroma to taste, and as a result are better able to speak to customers about the gourmet products. The intent of this according to Helm, is to share Starbucks' passion for coffee and to make the coffee industry more like the wine industry. If Starbucks is able to make its customers connoisseurs of coffee, it can then stock and sellhigh end coffee for up to $28 per pound. Starbucks knows that competitors such as McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts, or even the corner convenience store can't compete in this niche of the market. Starbucks has had success with ensuring that coffee drinking is an experience. According to Jeneanne Rae, â€Å"80% of Starbucks' revenues come from customers who visit their stores an average of 18 times a month†. This statistic alone tells us that the company is keeping its customers happy. The nice lighting, the plush furniture, the smooth music all aid in this endeavor. Rae goes on to say, â€Å"people will gladly pay more for an experience that is not only functional but also emotionally rewarding†. Simply put, I could go to the corner store and get a cup of coffee for $. 5 and get my caffeine shot for the day. In this process however I may feel like I'm missing out on the finer things in life, â€Å"The Starbucks Experience†. As a result, I will go out of my way, pay $2 for a cup of coffee, and feel more satisfied. Starbucks also strives to contribute positively to its communities and surrounding environments. It strives to be a friendly gathering place for locals. According to its website, Starbucks supports local organizations with cash and contributions as well as promotes art, culture, education, and environmental awareness. The final goal of Starbucks is to be profitable and promote future success. It does this through taking care of its stakeholders. The Starbucks Code of Ethics for CEO and Finance Leaders states, â€Å"I am charged with ensuring that stake holders interests are appropriately balanced, protected and preserved†. All corporate decisions are made with the preceding oath in mind. Starbucks will continue to have success in the coffee market due to its strongstrategy. From vision statement, through SWOT, to implementation, and finally the execution of daily operations, it has been a synergistic effort. This process has culminated in what has been coined, â€Å"The Starbucks Experience†. Customers will take a five minute detour, just as I did this morning, to be greeted with a warm smile, receive a piping hot cup of java, all in a clean quant old world feel environment. Howard Schultz and his crew are well on their way to achieving their goals of 40,000 stores and $23. 2 billion in sales by the year 2012. REFERENCES Datamonitor Starbucks Corporations Company Profile, 25 Jan 2005. Retrieved 20 July 2007 from, http://www. investor. reuters. om/data/files/Company%20Profile%20Sample%20for%20Reuters. pdf Helm, Burt. 9 Apr 2007. SAVING STARBUCKS' SOUL; Chairman Howard Schultz is on a mission to take his company back to its roots. Oh, yeah-he also wants to triple sales in five years. Business Week. Retrieved 20 July 2007 from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? index=44=1252343951=3=1=3=PROD=PQD=309=PQD=1184944744=29440=1 Keel, Robert. 10 July 2007. The McDonaldization of Society. Ret rieved on 20 July 2007 from, http://www. umsl. du/~keelr/010/mcdonsoc. html McDonald's to open coffee chain in Japan, 12 July 2007. Retrieved on 20 July 2007 from, http://www. topix. com/drink/2007/07/mcdonalds-to-open-coffee-chain-in-japan Rae, Jeneanne. 27 Nov 2006. The Importance Of Great Customer Experiences? Business Week. Retrieved 20 July 2007 from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? index=60&did=1166573331&SrchMode=3&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1184944933&clientId=29440&aid=1 UK coffee market set to double over the next 10 years, 23 May 2007, Retrieved on 20 July 07 from,

Elements used in Raisin in the Sun Essay

Lorraine Hansberry’s Raisin in the Sun is a monumental play in the theatrical world. Produced in 1959, it became the first play written by an African-American woman to hit the stage and was later nominated for several Tony Awards. The play touched many controversial themes of the time including racial discrimination and poverty. The design of Raisin in the Sun, including scenic, costume, lighting, and sound elements, were crucial to developing the plot and emphasizing these themes. All of the elements are vital to the message and audience interpretation of the production, and overall, the Playmakers Repertory Company executed them well. The scenic design of a play is arguably the most important element of a production. It is what sets the stage and puts both the characters and the script into context. In Raisin in the Sun, the set, including scenery and props, helped define the characters, allowing the audience to get a feel for the setting and time period. Most importantly, the scenery developed the line of the play—the space in which the Younger family had to live—which was strategic to developing plot conflict. The Younger family lived in a small, run down apartment that emphasized their social class. To name a few, the wallpaper was discolored, the living room couch was old and musty, and the only visible bedroom to the audience was merely big enough for the bed. Travis, the son, was forced to sleep on the couch, and it was unclear how much space was upstairs where Beneatha, the daughter, and the Grandmother, Lena, slept. The design of the apartment played to the overall conflict within the family; the desperation to escape poverty only intensified within these cramped quarters. Although, the characters managed to deal with their living situation, it caused tension to build within each member of the family, which was a crucial part of plot development. The lower class feel of the house honed in on Walter Lee’s burning desire to get into business and climb the social ladder. The less-than-luxurious surroundings seemed to amplify his unhappiness when he entered the room, allowing the plot to build along with the tension in the house. In addition to scenery, the props strategically placed around the housed illustrated the family’s cares and values. Throughout the room, the audience could see many picture frames. However, the two that were predominately displayed were a picture of Christ hanging over the front door, and a picture of Lena’s deceased husband that stayed on a table in the living room. These props emphasized importance the Younger’s placed on family and religion, which came up many times throughout the production. The entire family lived under one roof, looking after one another and making ends meet, together as a whole. In addition, the plot centered around a life-insurance check from the death of Lena’s husband. This kept the element of religion present since he was deceased and in the eyes of Lena, watching over the family. Both the design of the apartment and the detail of the props within it gave the audience a greater understanding of the deep-rooted values and conflicts of the family. The costume design of Raisin in the Sun went hand-in-hand with the scenery and props. The realistic clothes of the Younger family further described a family of lower class, although not an untidy one. Each day, the members of the family would dress for work or school as well as they could, which illustrated the pride the family carried. This enormous pride stemmed from an important theme within the play: overcoming racial discrimination. Lena dreamed of escaping the busyness of Chicago, and bought a house in a white neighborhood with the hefty check from her husband’s insurance policy. Her pride kept the family afloat and was their only defense against the discrimination they faced from the area. Furthermore, each character’s costumes fit their personalities. While Lena, Ruth, and Walter Lee were usually dressed in working clothes, reflecting their family duty, Beneatha dressed in more modern clothes, illustrating her character as a free-spirited college student. One day she would wear girly skirts and flowery designs, the next she was going back to her roots wearing African garments and sporting natural hair. The costume designers successfully captured each character’s personality as well as keeping the image of pride apparent through the character’s choice of clothes. In addition to scenic and costume design, every play must have specific lighting. This sets the mood of each scene, giving the audience a better feel of what is happening within the plot. For the most part, the lighting within the apartment was warm and dim, giving the setting a homey and somewhat relaxed feel. However, the dimness of the light also played upon the unhappiness that stirred within the family during certain scenes. These moments of lighting kept with the realistic aspect of the play. However, there were times of unrealistic lighting meant to enhance a scene. When Beneatha was dancing to African music and Walter Lee came in and joined her, the lighting became jungle-like. The reds and oranges along with the images of palm frons surrounded the two, carrying them away from the real world. Although this would never happen in real life, it was apparent the lighting was illustrating what was going on in their minds, showing the desire to escape their current troubles. The second and only other time of surreal lighting was when Walter Lee had his breakdown and then moment of clarity near the end of the show. The entire set went dark except for a spotlight on him. This choice in lighting was appropriate for such a somber scene and drew the audience in even more. The times of abstract or unrealistic lighting did not take away from the realness of the play. Instead, it enhanced the scenes to the benefit of the audience. The last element of design that affected the play is the sound design. Obviously the show had typical sound effects—doors slamming for emphasis, Beneatha playing African music, etc. —that decorated each scene as it unfolded. However, there was a significant aspect to the sound design of this particular production. Throughout the play, the characters would turn on the radio and interviews and other recordings from the 1960s would play over the speaker. Some of these included Lorraine Hansberry speaking about the nominations and winning the Tony and discussion of civil rights movements of the time. Some may think this was distracting, but it anchored the play within the time period. This allowed the audience to get a better feel of what was happening during the era and highlighted the major theme of racial discrimination within the plot. All in all, the production of Raisin in the Sun was a success. Yes, this is highly due in part to the excellent skill of the actors. However, without stagecraft, a play cannot be complete. The elements of design produce a world that actors could never create on script alone. In the Playmakers Repertory Company’s production of Raisin in the Sun, the scenic, costume, lighting, and sound design worked cohesively to enhance and develop all aspects of the characters and plot. The provocative themes of escaping poverty, chasing dreams, and overcoming racial discrimination were illustrated brilliantly by tremendous execution of the elements of design and an impressive performance by the acting company.

Development of America

President Barack Obama, in his inaugural address, told the American people about the challenges facing the country today are of crisis proportion. Guided by the founding principles with which America was built as a nation, he promised the citizens of America and the world that his government will overcome these problems. He took note that every administration is faced with problems of different gravity and complexity and his will be no different. He offers hope and unity when he saw fear and conflict in the face of Americans.For Obama, America may be great and powerful, but these alone are not what will give jobs with fair wages, accessible and affordable healthcare and decent retirement through sound social security. Honesty, caution and transparency are demanded of those who hold public office for them to gain the trust of the people in their government. Taking the economy into perspective, he said that the crisis is not because workers are producing less, creativity has stopped, a nd need for commodities have dropped. Market forces drive the economy, for the best and for the worst.A strong economy will definitely create wealth. Government must exercise prudent control and ensure that the gains will benefit all. Equitable sharing of wealth and equal opportunities for all is his â€Å"re-affirmation of the enduring spirit that all are equal. † Obama believes that America must change that way it had conducted itself and do away with political philosophies that are not doing the country any good. Instead, Obama thinks that America should work harder, aim higher, be both movers and doers like its forebears whom he said â€Å"toiled, endured the lash of the whip, plowed the hard earth.†He reminded the American people of those who died in defense of precious freedom from â€Å"Concord and Gettysburg to Normandy and Khe Sanh. † He attributes the greatness of America to its people. He said the greatness was something â€Å"earned and never givenà ¢â‚¬  to its selfless people and to a country that is â€Å"bigger than the sum of individual ambitions [and] greater than all the differences of birth, wealth or faction. † It is upon these qualities that Obama begins the work that is necessary to push the economy forward, once again.He is bound not only to create jobs but provide the basics to be able to accomplish the first, such as infrastructures, science and technology, health care, alternative fuel sources, education and skills training that all fit the needs of the times. Obama has faith great things can be done if everyone will unite and rally around a common goal. In the pursuit of economic prosperity, Obama’s government also seeks to protect the rights of individuals among which is a guarantee of his safety and security.Like the founding fathers of America who shed blood to guarantee the freedoms every American now enjoys, Obama makes a solemn vow to every citizen and every nation of the world that America will take the lead when their peace is threatened. He is of the conviction that arms are the last resort in conflicts, however, victory comes with strong alliances and lasting principles. The might and power of the America is not enough to protect it but Obama assures that neither will his country use it indiscriminately.He will dispense the power judiciously, coming from what the president says is the â€Å"justness of cause and force of example which is the tempering qualities of humility and restraint. † He is looking at Iraq and Afghanistan and the possibilities of peaceful pullout. America will cooperate in keeping the world safe and secured but all threats to peace will be dealt with force. Terrorism will be met with the fiercest resistance. Obama assures that America â€Å"will not waiver in defense† of peace and justice â€Å"with spirit [that] is stronger and [which] can not be broken† warns that the enemy that â€Å"they cannot outlast us and we will defeat you.†Obama spoke of his new policies of government that reflects the old values of the founding fathers. President Obama will not compromise the safety and ideals of America. It will not be a choice of one over the other or a middle ground of both. Both safety and ideals go together. America separated from Britain in bitter circumstances in the cause of freedom, in the words of the Declaration of Independence they will hold Britain as â€Å"they hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war and in peace friends. † Today Britain remains a loyal ally in its fight against tyranny and injustice.President Obama calls on â€Å"old friends and former foes† to work with America in mutual defense and act against the use of nuclear weapons and destruction of the environment. Obama pledges to once again lead the way in â€Å"ushering in a new era of peace. † He recognizes that America is not just for the Americans but for the whole world. His government will defend America and its interests, as well as those of the world that is parallel to America’s. Obama declares â€Å"we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but seize rather gladly.†Once before, the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence had similarly intended, to â€Å"mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor. â€Å" President Obama recognizes the strength of multi-racial America today. From its conflict-ridden history, American came to be a strong nation. The president says that â€Å"as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself. † America, therefore, postures itself ahead of the line with the rest of the world – desirous of a future of peace with honor.America will extend its helping hands not only in times of war and but also in times of peace. He asks both the poor and the wealthy nations to work together on issues like the proper u tilization and care for the world’s resources. He notes that it is about time that everyone should drop attitudes of apathy and instead be more conscious in preserving what could be handed down to the generations that will come after the present one. Times have indeed changed and in retrospect American has gone this far and this long. Its 44th president had been sworn in to the highest office of the land.Nothing can more significant than the fact that America is still free, a legacy of the fallen heroes. Their spirit lives on in the men and women who fight for democracy in distant shores, who help save lives in disaster-stricken communities, who risk lives and limbs to take strangers out of death’s clutches from the 9/11 attacks, and those willing to sacrifice so others may live. From the heroes in war to the heroes in peace, America has not let go of what Obama calls â€Å"the gift of freedom. † They worked hard and gave so much to preserve the gains of freedom and democracy.What the Constitution declares to â€Å"secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,† President Obama promises to â€Å"carry forth the gifts of freedom and deliver it safely to future generations. † America is faced with new challenges and responsibilities. These are the issues that President Obama places high importance on. These are the realities of the current times that Obama are finding solutions to. From uncertainty, the future will be shaped on how well America will use the time-tested inner resources and strength that have pushed the American on throughout their country’s history.The Obama government is confronted with economic difficulties, threats to peace and security, effects of environmental neglect, among many other problems. The American patience, honesty, hard work, sense of fairness, courage, inquisitive minds, love of country and unwavering faith in God and fellow Americans, should be made to prevail. These ar e the cost and rewards of a privileged American citizenship. How much the Americans have developed through the trying years, has made the words â€Å"liberty and justice for all† and that â€Å"all men are created equal† more meaningful and true.These truths were made self-evident when Obama who said his father â€Å"might not have been served at a local restaurant 60 years ago† became America’s first African-American president. On this same president’s shoulder lies the shaping of the future from uncertainty and hopelessness. President Obama is faced with problems that he has to deal with in order to move the nation forward. He was left with a country which is not completely done with a protracted war in the Middle East. He will decide on the future of Iraq and Afghanistan and the continuing role of America in the War on Terror.He hopes to end the decades of hatred and hopes to heal the wounds of conflict. As president of the most powerful nation on earth he has choices and he hopes to use the best of them in accordance with the enduring spirit of old such as courage with justice. The economy of America is in shambles. If this can happen to the great and powerful nation like America, what would keep it from happening to the others. Truly the economic crisis has hit a global scale. Unemployment rose when millions have lost their jobs, a consequence of the collapse of many businesses.Under such circumstances people would barely afford the rest – housing, education, health care, and social security. This would render the weak and feeble-hearted helpless, but not the American who was shaped in the tradition of hard work and honesty. Again, Obama has promised that America will take the lead. He has met with his economic team on Day One. America must likewise respond to the problems posed by environmental degradation and neglect, such as the greenhouse effect or global warming, extreme weather conditions and depletion of th e earth’s resources.He must end the indifference of industrialized nations or those he termed as the â€Å"nations that enjoy relative plenty. † He has recognized the â€Å"greed and irresponsibility of some† and this time he must be ready â€Å"to make hard choices to propel the nation† forward in the new age. He must employ the old values of â€Å"courage and fair play† to meet this challenge of the world in a time of peace. Equality has never been more felt than on the day Barack Obama took his oath of office.The multitude that showed up in his inauguration was happy that finally there were no more lines that divide. America now has a president who represents the best in the new American. The new American is able to transcend color and creed in a â€Å"patchwork heritage† which is the president’s own description of the new America. It is also a conglomeration of cultures from all points of the globe. Getting America to respond as o ne before it hopes to lead the rest of the world is vital to the agenda Obama has set to accomplish.Unity, equality and selflessness are the defining characters of the new generation of Americans. With these qualities the enormous task of ushering the new kind of peace and prosperity in America and elsewhere in the world can be achieved. President Obama guarantees that the government will do its duty and calls upon all Americans for their support. He believes that it is the collective â€Å"faith and determination† of its people in their government that will make America succeed in meeting all the challenges.From the time of the founding fathers to the inauguration of its 44th president, America has come a long way, not without sacrifices, not without hard work. President Obama has taken things in perspective and knew that without the guiding spirit of the old values, America would not survive the crisis his presidency was met with. The racial divide which was marked with the long struggle of his kind is no longer a painful issue to deal with, given his election to the highest post of the land.Peace and security, the economy, the environment, health care, and education are the more pressing problems that demand the government’s immediate attention, and attend to them the president has promised to do. The Obama story and discourse is a welcome development of the American. He had transcended barriers to become what he is today. In his watch, the whole world is still, perhaps in anticipation of new beginnings. For President Obama it is simply a choice of hope over fear, unity over discord.

Contemporary Issues in Fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contemporary Issues in Fashion - Essay Example From the essay it is clear the concept of eco-friendly fashion designing and manufacturing process has been revolved quite significantly. Several fashion designers and manufacturers are trying to develop eco-friendly clothes and apparel products considering the growing demand for eco-friendly apparel products among the consumers. Therefore, the manufacturers of 3D printed clothes are helping the industry to bring sustainability. 3D printing on clothes has both opportunities and challenges in the sustainability of the fashion industry. This particular movement may has to face some possible future challenges regarding the sustainability of the fashion industry. As the report declares the potential future opportunities of 3D printing process in the sustainability of the global fashion industry have been discussed below. Higher degree of production wastage in the post-manufacturing process can be considered as a critical challenge for the manufacturers of the apparel products. High production wastage generally increases the production cost of the manufacturers and designers. On the other hand, it is also true that several traditional stitching processes generally force the manufacturers or designers to charge extra custom price. It ultimately affects the purchasing power of the consumers. Now-a-days, emergence of 3D printing technology in the fashion industry has helped designers and manufacturers to use required strides for a particular printing on a particular apparel product. In an addition to it, there are several benefits of using this 3D printing process.

Foreign Policy and the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foreign Policy and the Middle East - Essay Example ng a permanent American force to remain in the country in so that it could maintain order and secure the gains that many American servicemen had died for. Furthermore, Republicans believe that in matters concerning conflicts in the Middle East, such as the ongoing Syrian civil war, it is essential for the United States to become actively involved in the overthrow of the Assad regime and replacing it with one which favors America. These policies are a direct opposite of those which the Democrats stand for, with the latter preferring a more subtle American approach to foreign policy where diplomacy is given precedence (Mostofi 227). The withdrawal of American troops from the Middle East is a step towards reducing the risk posed to the country. Furthermore, through the use of drone technology, it has become possible to fight terrorists without having to bring in troops to combat them. Therefore, according to the Democrats, American role in the Middle East should be limited to partnershi ps with its allies rather than on direct intervention in internal affairs of the countries in the region. Withdrawal of forces from the Middle East by the Obama administration is a move designed to ensure that the country remains safer. It is certain that United States spent billions of dollars and lost many servicemen in the Middle East for the purpose of keeping their country safe. While this was the case, the Middle Eastern situation, especially in Iraq, instead of improving, became even worse ("Obama Commits to Troop Withdrawal from Iraq by 2011" 4). This was essentially because the American backed government became the oppressors of the minority Sunni population in Iraq and this created an environment ripe for sectarian violence. This forms of violence continued for years, this despite the presence of American troops. Therefore, the security of the nation was not helped in any way by the presence of troops in Iraq, hence justifications for the withdrawal. In addition, public

Jus 104 Week 4 Short Paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jus 104 Week 4 Short Paper - Coursework Example With few guards who are often overwhelmed during peak hours, it becomes hard for them to accurately conduct the security checks and certify the visitors (Sennewald 88-92). Subsequently, by being less, few of the guards are assigned to monitor the alarm systems; thus, making it hard to make predictions in case of security breaches. The inadequacy of inspection and conducting of after-hours security checking of the facility is a great deficiency to the facility because it is during such periods that security systems of the facility are infiltrated and posing a security threat to the facility. Subsequently, by not adequately following the required security procedures especially during lunch hours. This is because, such moments can be used to attacking the facility and its systems easily given that no adequate checks are conducted. Except for the deficiencies, the facility has maintained good practices for its alarm system such as daily maintenance of the register of all visitors, use of identification badges by all employees, and issuing of visitor identification passes. These practices are good and essential in the sense that the visitors’ register will keep a record of all the details of the visitors to the facility including their intended purpose of visit and the host person. Subsequently, the register documents the time when a visitor arrived and the time of departure; thus, making it easy for accountability purposes (Fischer, Edward & David 112-125). This practice is coupled by the issuing of passes or tags to visitors to be carried around whenever one is within the facility. Subsequently, the facility requires all employees to wear identification passes that distinguish them from other persons (Serrano, Eduardo & Jean-Yves 77-79). The passes also grant them access to specific areas that are not easily accessible by other persons for security purposes. It is recommended that for the facility to curb its security breaches

GENDER AND JIM CROW Women and the Politics of White Supremacy in North Essay

GENDER AND JIM CROW Women and the Politics of White Supremacy in North Carolina, 18961920 - Essay Example The book revisits the history of oppression of blacks by white supremacy in the nineteenth century in the state of North Carolina and in the process makes many startling revelation hitherto either ignored or suppressed. Her theses is the emissarial role of contemporary African American women during 1896-1920 when their husbands, fathers ,brother and sons had been denied of surfage, in bringing out African American men and women to the main stream politics in North Carolina hitherto denied due to machinations of American white men. Gilmore reminisces as a young white North Carolinian girl her varied experiences and steps into the shoes of few African American women who had acted as ambassadors to their white male American counterparts by coming to the mainstream though not directly in politics but through academics, social organizations and other charitable institutions. The book which showed Gilmore as the historian in the making also was the precursor to her stream of further works on African Americans endless saga in the U.S. even today. It was by a chance discovery of discrete participation of African American women who were wives of the church leaders, or themselves teachers, college professors in finding a solution to overcome the supremacy of whites over blacks in North Carolina that prompted her to write this dissertation as conferred by her in the introduction pages of the book. I initially encountered this group of black middle-class women while investigating the 1920 election in North Carolina, the first in which women voted..That investigation of women's political culture soon doubled back on itself as I realized that gender and race were no less intertwined in men's politics than they were in women's.( Gilmore, 1996 p xvi) Kennedy in his review of the book says that Glenda Gilmore has re-examined the early period of Jim Crow and made known the to the world the efforts of middle-class African American women like Sarah Dudley Petty to bring about change in their social status by improving their standard of living, identifying opportunities for the both blacks and whites and most importantly changing the attitude of white toward the blacks in North Carolina. How the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) enabled the African American women of North Carolina to forge an interracial harmony and build strong communities is a case in point cited by him. The WCTU became a base for facilitating equality between whites and blacks in North Carolina. Thus when black men could finally vote, it was the white women who welcomed encouraged the activism of black women too. (Kennedy 2004) Judy(1997) whose grand father William J. Trent, finds a mention in Gilmore's book among so many others, writes how he must have felt having lost right to vote in 1900 in spite of going to college, learning languages like Latin. She is sure her grand mother Maggie Tate Trent must have also contributed a lot by joining the Salisbury Colored women's Civic League that toiled hard for getting African American women also secure voting rights. She agrees with Gilmore that down turn in the economy at that time that forced white men to compete with black men by bringing about repression of blacks and their disenfranchisement in 1900 and that it the was learned black women who became ambassadors of black community in North Carolina

Spontaneous face-to-face communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Spontaneous face-to-face communication - Essay Example It is also important to be able to reflect the degree of politeness in the process of communication. It usually takes more time to reflect the real essence of an individual in the communication process, because a spontaneous communication cannot reflect the real essence and the real inner world of an individual. Politeness as an integrative component of individuals’ communication between each other is often considered as means to â€Å"convey, interpret, maintain and alter social relationships† (Brown and Levinsion, p.5). Brown and Levinson (1987) are two scientists who studied the important role of politeness in the process of communication. They claimed that people are polite across cultures in order to facilitate the process of communication or to soften their desires or intentions. In other words, these scientists claimed that being polite is a threat-mitigating strategy used by individuals. â€Å"Face† in the process of communication The concept of â€Å"face† is the primary operating concept for these scientists that means the â€Å"positive social value a person effectively claims for himself† (Brown and Levinsion 1987, p.5). Any person may be afraid of losing his face in the process of communication. Nevertheless, the scientists underline that there are possible positive and negative faces that an individual may have. A positive face is more relevant to the majority of social actors. It implies that an individual is striving for high social esteem, social approval etc. A negative face implies that an individual wants to be autonomous, have his/her own will etc.